He Thought She Was A Secret
by Carima
Summary: In which there are no Hunger Games. But the districts, the capitol and hunger are still relevant. Peeta and Katniss meet in modern circumstances. Has been changed to T because I have discovered I can't write sexual scenes seriously. Sorry for spelling mistakes, No Beta
1. First Day

**KATNISS POV**

"Katniss! The water shut off again!" I heard Prim yell from the slightly opened bathroom door. _Shit _I think to my self. Mom forgot to pay the water bill, again.

"Hang on Prim," I tell her. We always keep large jugs of water just incase this happens. "I'm coming in,". She has sudds all over her long blond hair. I pour it slowly over her head, she closes her eyes to keep the soap out of her eyes.

"Thats so cold!" she exclaimes while she rings the water from her hair.

"Sorry little duck. Hurry up, don't want to be late for your first day of middle school do you?" I ask as I rap her in a towel. She scurries out of the bathroom in to her room. I sigh to myself, I would have liked a hot shower to kick start a new school year but I've used cold water enough to be fine with it.

"Katniss can you brain my hair?" Prim asks once i braid my own hair. Shes wearing the little pink dress I bought her yesterday. I smile to myslef, I'm glad she likes it. I looks really good on her, deffinately worth the two weeks of hunting.

"Sure," I turn her around to brush and separate her hair into equal parts. I weave it tightly so it does not come undone through out the day. "I have a surprise for you," I say. "Close your eyes," I pull the small ribbons from my pocket. They're a pale shade of pink with small primroses on them. "Open."

"Oh they're so cute. I love them, thank you," she turns and hugs me tightly. "You have to get dressed too," she says when she releases. I look down to see I'm still in just a tank top and undershorts. I laugh at myself.

"Thanks. Brush your teeth. I made you lunch so don't forget it." I wonder into my room and close the door. I pull of the shorts and tank top and carelessly toss them in to the hamper. I pull a black v-neck and a pair of fitted army green cargo pants. I slip in to my boots and losely tie them. Looking at myself in the mirror, I realize there is a multitude of cat hair on my shirt. Opening my closet to retreive the lint roller, the cat in question hisses at me. "If you don't like me stay out of my room," he hisses again, and so do I. I look in the mirror again to see the cat hair while I try to remove it. Over the summer my body has matured quite a bit. I now have a very shapely hour glass figure. I would like it better if it didn't mean hardly any of my clothes fit, which also means i have to go and buy more clothes. And we just don't have the money for that. I would rather eat than have a few new shirts.

"Prim grab your stuff were going now, don't forget your lunch." I say. She comes bounding out of the house with all of her needed items. The walk to school will take about fourty five minutes, we should get there in time for her to find her classes.

**Peeta POV**

"Hurry up! You're going to be late!" my mother shouts from the hall. In response I close the door. This woman wakes me up at four to decorate a cake I could have done after school, makes me redo it TWICE and now she yelling at me for almost being late to the first day. I look in the mirror to see my face has flour on it. I wet my hands and rub the flour off.

"Peeta, lets go!" my brother, Julian says kicking open the door.

"Calm down all i have to do is put my shirt and shoes on. You're still in your boxers!" I exclaim as I point at his nudity.

"Whatever just get out of the bathroom, I gotta take a fat piss!" I move from his path before he exploades all over the floor.

In my room I take a navy blueshirt and pull it on and smootth the wrinkles. Personally, I think it looks nice with my loose dark jeans and boots, but my mother thinks otherwise, she says so often.

I sneak out the back door with out Julian, if hes late it not my problem. Its nice out today. I rellish in the beauty of the trees while I walk. I'll have to come back here and paint them some time.

"Peeta! Peeta wait!" I hear a girl shouting at me. I turn to see Delly running nearly full speed towards me. I've known Delly for a long time. When she finally reaches me shes out of breath.

"Gosh Delly don't run so fast," I say with a laugh.

"Sorry. Have you seen Katniss?" She breathes. A smile exploades on to my face. I've been thinking about Katniss since I woke up, but I haven't seen her a lot since the last day of school last year. Sometimes she comes in to buy bread but not often enough. I know she can't always afford it.

"No why?" I ask.

"She looks GORGEOUS! You don't even understand. She was pretty last year and the year before but this year shes like a goddess walking among us!" Delly exclaimes as she throws her arms in the air, gesturing to the heavens. I've always thought that of Katniss, but since Delly thinks it now as well there must be a noticeable difference.

Oh god was Delly right... I can see Katniss from across the school courtyard standing with Gale. Before she was thin but muscular, but now, her figure... i don't even know how to explain it. Her hips are wider and more curved and her breasts are at the very least a full C cup now. Her waist was still small and she still looked toned, in a really attractive way though. He hair is even longer no. I wonder how long it would be if her hair hung loose.

"Damn!" I hear. A guy a few feet from me is pointing at Katniss with a huge grin on his face. "The Seam is doing her good." He was right, even though I wish no one else was looking at her. For the longest time I felt like i was keeping her a secret because kids from town don't pay much to any attention to kids from the seam. But her coming back, looking like _that_, everyone is boud to look at her now. But I highly doubt she would give them the time of day anyways. She certainly never did for me.

**Katniss POV**

I walked Prim to her class and then went to my side of the school. I don't know if its just me of if a whole binch of people are staring at me. But my mind comes to east when I see Gale standing by himself, most likely waiting for me.

"Hey Catnip." he says with a wave.

"Hey. I need to ask you something," I gesture for him to come down closer to my face. "Is it just me or are people staring at me?" i ask. He leans back and laughs loudly.

"No they are." he sais after his laughing fit. I look around and see that a few actually are.

"Why?" I ask casually.

"Well, look at you! You filled out!"

"Are you saying I'm fat and thats why people are looking at me?" I shot him a nasty look.

He immediately straightens and says, "No, what I mean is is that you have a really great figure now. Not that it wasn't nice before."

I look down at my body. I know that I grew in some places but I didn't think that everyone else would notice. _Sigh._

"Hey come on. Maybe you can find yourself a nice boyfriend." Gale says while nudging me.

"You know I don't date," I say while nudging him back.

"I don't see why not. No ones asking you to give anything up." He sates. He knows I can't date. Dating eventually means marriage, or sex. And both lead to a baby, and I can't barely support, Prim, my mother and myself as it is.

"Gale you know why-" i was cut off by the bell. He smiles and turns and leaves to go to his first class. I have gym first.

The gyms smells like wood and old socks. The class mingles together for a while until a whistle blows, signaling us to line up. The class rushes in together.

"Welcome to the new school year everyone. I would like to start off byt telling you that we are staring the dance unit right away. There is a big play comming up and the theater department is in need of dancers. I will list your partners off." He calls about eight groups. Madge, one of my friends, is with the boy that runs the flower shop. "Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark." My pace quickens. I haven't talked to Peeta, _ever._ Unless you count a few "sorry"s in the hall if we bumped in to one another. The only read interaction we ever had was about five years ago when he gave me bread. I remember that for a few days after that he had a large bruise on the side of his face. I can only hope his opinion is higher of me than his mothers...

Before I have time to register what I'm supposed to do and how i should aproach him he walks over and casually says, "Hey."

"Hey," i say in return. I never noticed it before but he is really tall. I think he may be almost as tall as gale. His blond hair looks messy but nice at the same time. It hangs just above his oceam blue eyes.

"How are you?" he asks.

"Hm? Oh I'm good how are you?"

"I'm alright. So, what do you want to do for the dance?" he asks as he ruffles his hair. It looks soft and thick, I want to touch it. I reach my hand up to flatten a stray peice of hair. His eyes are staring right in to mine. I can feel my face begin to heat so I retract my hand.

"Oh umm. I don't know. I can't dance but I guess soemthing that flows would look nice on stage." I say, stroking my own hair.

"I can dance a little bit so I think we should be fine." He speaks so smoothly. I wish I could. I always fall over my words and say the wront things.

"Hi Katniss," Madge says as she skips towards me. "you look really pretty!"  
"Thank you. I like your dress. Is it new?"

"No it was my moms. I think you should take your hair down Katniss. Its so nice." she tugs the end of my hair a little and grins.

"No I-"

"I think you should." Peeta cut me off.

"Pretty please?" Madge says while pouting. I glance over to Peeta to see him nodding a 'yes' as me. I sigh and pull the band from the end. Brushing it through my finger to free it, it hangs just above my waist now.

"Tada" I say.

"Wow your hair is so long." Madge says.

"It looks really nice." Peeta says with a huge smile. I blush and turn away from him.

"Thanks." My face begins to burn. This will be an... interesting few weeks.


	2. Up

**Peeta POV**

Holy shit... Katniss is actually my partner. God, what have good have I done in your name to be granted this?

Her hair flowed loosely down her back to about her waist. It still looked damp. The hair now surrounding her face made her starlight gray eyes look even brighter. It takes all I can not to run my hands through it.

"It looks really nice," I say trying to distract myself .

"Thanks," she replies. She looks away from me while her face turns a light shade of pink. _She is so cute._ I want to pull her close to me and hold her there. But I'm sure she would just push me away from her.

"Well I should get back to my partner. Bye guys, have fun," Madge says while she bounces away. Katniss waves goodbye before she returns to instpecting the ends of her hair. I've seen her do this many times in class, or when we were younger and kids picked on her. I think to her its something like a security. That or shes just really in to the end of her hair.

"So, do you have any dances in mind?" she asks me, turning her face away from the end of her hair.

"I don't know. I think anything will look nice with you there," I say honestly. I flash her a wide smile. But she just looks at me, her face still red but showing no other emotion.

"Do you remember the dance that those kids at the New Years Eve Festival did last year? I think something like that would be okay," I do remember. It involved a lot of touching, spinning, lifts, and closeness. I'm shocked she would even bring up anything like that. I recall her not liking to be touched a whole bunch. At least thats how she was in middle school.

"You sure you want to do something like that?" i ask. I would love to but I don't want her to do anything that would make her uncomfortable.

"Yeah. You're strong you can lift me," she states. True, I'm sure she not heavy in the least. _I should try, _I think to myself. Really I just want an excuse to touch her and she just gave me one.

"Mind if I see that I can?" I ask. She lookes up at me, her eyes wide and full of cunfusion.

"Well.. I suppose you can." Yes. I gently place my hands on her waist. I hear her quickly intake a breath of air, but she dose not stop me. I slowly begin to lift her, once her feet are off the ground she gasps and places her hands on my shoulders.

"I won't drop you," I promise. She nods and i hold her there for a moment. Her eyes are avoiding mine, and her face flushed even darker.

"I guess lifting all of that flour paid off huh?" she chuckels slightly. I put her back down easily. I smile, still looking at her.

**Katniss POV**

My face feels hot. My whole body does actually. Peeta picked me up with such ease. No one has ever picke me up before, besides my father. Not even Gale. I'm not sure what to do right now. I don't want to keep standing her awkwardly in the middle of the gym, other groups are already forming a dance. Hes standing an arms length from me, hes looking around the gym. A girl to his right, Leah I think her name was, is standing a twirling her hair wile she blatantly stares at Peeta. He notices and gives a small wave. I think they dated for a bit last year. Then she notices me looking at her too and her smile disapears and the hair twirling stops.

"Peeta," she says loudly as she saunters over, leaving her partner behind. She holding her arms together tightly to smash her breasts together, they look like theyre spilling out of her dress top. I'm sure she thinks it looks sexy, but to me she looks ridictulous. Her hair is blond and her eyes are blue, a common trade for most of the merchant kids.

"Oh hey Leah," he says. He sounds completely uninterested. Infact he hardly looks it either.

"I didn't get to see you much this summer. I missed you did you miss me?" she runs her hand down his arm and batts her mascara covered eyelashes.

"I guess so," he says glancing back at me. She see this and turns to me.

"Oh hi Katrina," she holds her arms together again.

"Its Katniss,"

"Oh my bad. So, how was _your_ summer?" why should she be concerned with how my summer was?

"It was alright,"

"Oh thats nice," shes obviously trying to mess with me. I can see it on her face. "Katniss, will you change partners with me? I think that Peeta and I would be a much better match for something like this."

I don't know why but no, I do not want to change partners with her. "Sorry, no. Peeta and me have already started to work on a dance."

She looks at me with a discusted look on her face. "Fine." she turns on her heels and walks back to her partner.

"Sorry shes a bit... abracive..." Peeta says.

"Didn't you and her date last year?" I ask bluntly.

"Uhm well yeah," he looks away again.

"Why did you break up with her. Shes pretty,"

"Yeah she is. But shes not very nice. My mom liked her though," I acidentally let out a smally giggle. I cover my mouth; it was rude to laugh. No wonder his mom liked her.

"Sorry sorry. I didn't mean to laugh." I say. He smiles again.

"Its okay. What are you doing this weekend? We could work on the dance if you have time, I get the weekends off." he states.

"Well, on sunday my friend Gale and I are going hunting. Do you want to meet up on Saturday?" I ask. His eyes suddenly look brighter.

"I would love to," he says.

**Peeta POV**

I was expecting her to say no. But she didn't.

"Alright. Well where do you want to meet?" she asks. She combs her fingers through her hair and begins to rebraid it. It looks so lovely doen, I wish she wouldn't put it back.

"How about my house?" her eyes widen and her hands stop mid-braid.

"But your mom hates seam kids..." she mumbles.

"Its alright, on Saturdays she visits with some of her friends in town,"

"Thats fine," she looks back up to me. The bell rings, ending our conversation. "Here," I pick up her messanger back and hand it to her.

"Thanks," she adjusts it on her shoulder "I'll see you later Peeta. Bye," and she leaves. I stand there, admiring the sway of her hips as she leaves.

"Why do you want to be parners with that seam brat?"

"Hm what? Oh hey Leah." I say. I'm not exactly interested in what she has to say right now.

"Pair up with me Peeta, pretty please?" she coos.

"I'll see you later Leah," I walk away after promptly ignoring her. I can hear her making a sound of displeasure, but I don't care. The next class I have is a mixed years history class. Which means, I have it with my brother. Joy.

"Oh hey little brother! How was fisrt period?" Julian shouts while jumping on my back like a damn monkey once I reach my locker.

"Get off of me!" I shout.

"Okay okay sorry," he says as he pulls out a cigarette from his pocket.

"We're in school. Those are bad for you anyways," I attempt to snatch it from his hand but fail.

"Like I give a fuck. This is my last year I'm going to do what the fuck I want when I fucking want,"

"Like you didn't do that before!" I exclaim with a laugh.

"Oh hey, can you take my shift on Saturday? Remember Mary, you know the one with the big tits, she asked me over," he says while geturing breasts. If he had wanted the weekend off he should have asked first.

"No, I have plans,"

"Whit who?" he asks "Leah back in the picture?" I shudder at the thought of Leah _ever_ being back in the picture.

"Katniss Everdeen is coming over," I state.

He take a long drag before letting it go and saying, "Doesn't she date that Gale kid? Heh, seam slut."

"Excuse me?" I say. I slam my locker door shut loudly.

"Don't worry about it little brother," he says I shouldn't but I do. Infact, I really hate it.


	3. Black and blue

**Katniss POV**

First days back usually aren't the best but today was alright I suppose. Peeta and I are dance partners, I meant to ask what time he wanted to meet up but I never go around to it. I guess I'll ask him tomorrow.

I meet up with Gale in the front of the school and we wordlessly begin to walk to pick up Prim.

"So do you have any classes with Madge?" Gales asks, breaking the silence.

"I have three with her. Why do you ask?" I ask casually, even though I know hes had a crush on her since at the very least seventh eighth grade.

"Nothing really," he says.

"Gale!" a small, shrill, yet lovely voice shouts from the end of the hall. Prim. She breaks into a full sprint to hug him.

"Hey little duck," I say smothing the hair on the top of her head down.

"Did you have a nice first day?" he asks her.

"Oh it was amazing. My teacher is so smart! And I have a few of my old friends in there too. Oh and Rory," she says releasing Gale. She stands there, exagerating her moitions and grinning widely, this is how I know she had a good day.

"You can tell us all about it on the way home," I say, I move to her and kiss the top of her head and then begin to leave. She and Gale follow. For a moment I am in front, then Gale catches up to me and Prim skips along in the front. This is how we always walk.

"You like Madge," I say. I never was one to beat arounf the bush, and Gale knows this. I smirk and glance up at him, hes avoiding my eyes and hes slightly flushed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he says with that bull shit throught-clearing-cough every other man does.

"I'm like your sister, Gale. Don't think I don't know what goes on in your head by now," I'm right, he should know by now.

"Fine. Maybe I do, just a little bit. But she would never go for a guy like me-"

"A guy like what!" I cut him off. "Nice, smart, caring, determined, stron, the list goes on Gale. She would be stupid not to go for a guy like you."

"I'm also from the _seam_ and her father is the _mayor._"

"Its obvious she doesn't mind sean kids. Shes hung around me for so long. You should talk to her," I say nugding his arm with mine.

"I don't know. Maybe,"

"If you don't I'll just tell her. And I wont spare the sappy details. '_Oh Madge, your beauty radiates like a thousand suns. My love extends over all the galaxies for you.'_" I coo, mocking him. I break out into a loud laugh. A laugh that I haven't experianced for a long time, but right now, I'm genuinly happy. I hardly ever smile, except today I guess. Something was, different.

He pushes me lightly, but I still stumble forward a bit.

"I would never say something like that."

"She wound never know considering you don't talk to her!" I exclaime.

"Oh shut up," he says. He tries to pull the 'I'm pissed off at you don't talk to me' face but he ends up breaking in to a smile. "I'll talk to her tomorrow at lunch alright."

"Good." I say. I pick up the pace to meet up with Prim. "Oh I almost forgot, on saturday I'm going to Peeta Mellark's house to practice the dance." His mouth forms a hard line and he looks like hes about to say somehting but she doesn't, instead he gives a small smile and waves goodbye.

**Peeta POV**

"What the fuck Peeta!" Julian shouts. His nose bleeding already from the impact of his face to the wall, because of me. I would have done this at school but it was the first day. I don't dignify him with an answer to my actions and instead I shut the soor to my room and lock it. My shift doesn't start until five so I have some time to get some painting done. I lay my paints and brushes out on my desk and pull a fresh white canvas from beneth me bed. I run my fingertips over the rough surface and let out a satified sigh. I haven't painted in a really long time, it feels good to be doing this again.

When five rolls around, I step back and admire my work. It wasn't much, but in a two hour time frame I'm pleased with it. I wash the brushes and put them away then head down to the bakery. Julian looks up form sweaping long enough to glare at me then he returns to his work. His nose is bruised and there is a cut on the bridge of it.

"Peeta, hurry up and frost the cakes!" my mom shouts from the back.

"Alright," I say in response. Its better not to argue with this woman.

"Put your apron on," she says, tossing it to me. By the way shes acting I guess she didn't see Julian's nose yet. Once she does, I'll probably get the smae thing. He was always the favorite. Luke, my oldest brother, and I were always envous of him. She would let him skip work, and once I saw her give him a fresh cookie. I'm pretty sure its because he looks the most like her out of the three of us. But my dad favor Luke and me so we got along just fine.

"Hey mom," Julian says as he walks in to the kitchen and leans up agains the door frame. That ass hole, he wants so see mom beat the shit out of me.

"Oh my god baby what happened?" she says rushing over to him. He doesn't say anything, he just looks at her then looks at me. She whips around to look at me. "Peeta, did you hit your brother?"

"Not really," I say, because I didn't I slammed his face on to a wall.

"He smashed my face into a wall. I didn't even do anything," he says, while he smirks behind her at me.

"Why did you do that, hm?" she says, her voice strained and laced with anger. I choose to begin frosting the cakes instead of looking at them

"Don't worry about it,"

"He did it because I told him not to talk to that beggin seam girl, Katniss whatever," He said. I instantly stop and rip off the apron.

"Thats bull shit Julian," I step forward.

"Then what happened Peeta?"

"He was talking about her!" I yell.

"Its not his fault shes a filthy nasty creature," she states. My face burns red with anger.

"Shes not filthy or a creature! Shes a person and a really nice and beautiful one at that!" I say, and i don't regret it. She brings her hand back and slaps me hard across my face. I don't flinch when the hand comes back harder from the other side. I close my eyes, blocking her out. After so much of this the pain is nothing. She just takes so long to get done with it.

"Thats enough sweetie," I hear my dad say. I open my eyes to see him holind her hand, Julian is gone. he probably got bored. "Go upstairs to clean yourself off and come back down to finish the cakes." He says calmly to me. He looks at me with apathy and sorrow.

"Okay." Upstairs I take toll of the damage. A scratch across my cheek, parts of my face are already darkening, and i have a nosebleed. Not the worse that shes ever done, but I can't go to school tomorrow. What ever, its just the first week, nothing really happens in the first week.


	4. Pink Frosting

**Peeta POV**

The sweat running down my face stings the cut beneath my eye. Its not a great pain, or even anything to really vocally complaine about, its just really annoying. I keep having to stop to wipe off the sweat while avoiding the cut. Thank god theres only a few more roses I have to do on this cake and then I'm done for the day.

I retuen to my room and examine the damage on my face again. The area around the cut has gotten red and swollen. I should ic it before it gets any worse.

"Hey little brother," I hear Luke say behind me. He then ruffles the back of my hair.

"Hey," I say back, turning from the ice box to look at him.

"Shit what happened?"

"Mom was mad because I hurt her baby," i say, pressing the ice to my cheek.

"What he do to make you hit him?" he says leaning against the wall.

"He was talking about a girl," I mumble.

"This girl wouldn't just so happen to be the Miss Katniss Everdeen would it?" he asks with a smirk.

"It was. You know how I feel about her," I say smiling just a bit.

"I know little brother, I know. She seems nice. This sin't the first scuffle you two have had because he mouthed off about her right?" he asks. And he is right. Everyone knows well that I have a 'thing' for her. And Julian loves to make fun of me for it. He loves to make fun of me for everything I do. When I first started to frost the cakes he ridiculed me constantly, saying that it was 'womans work' and for 'pussies." My cakes made more money than his so he can suck it. But really, I wish he would just lay off for once.

"Yeah," I say. "Its just because shes from the seam."

"Just how it turns out bro," he says before pating me on the top of my head and leaving. Luke has always understood my feelings toward Katniss. My dad has too of course, but he just is never the one to bring it up.

That night I lay in my bed thinking about all of todays events, first day back at school, Katniss is my dance partner, I got to pick her up, started a nice painting and got my face fucked up. Minus my face, today was amazing. To bad I can't go tomorrow. I want to see her. I want to watch her hips sway. I want to see the faint blush her face picks up when complemented. I just want to be around her.

**Katniss POV**

"Katniss," my mom mumbles from the door way. I'm in Prim's room, sitting on her bed while i gently stroke her sleeping face.

"What?" I ask in a low voice so I don't wake her.

"I need to talk to you," she states. I look up from Prim to look at my mother. Shes wringing her hands, she only does this when thers somethign wrong. I remember her doing this a lot after dad died. I nod and stand then leav the room with her.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Katniss, we're really short on bills this month," she says. _Shit._

I swallow hard, "What bills can't we make?"

"All we can pay for this month is the mortage and electric. And thats not even counting food," she says lowly.

"Alright well, I can hunt more than I usually do. And I can sell some stuff at the hob." I say. This has happened before. I remember skipping a bunch of school to go hunt. And the constant feeling of hunger. At that time I was more concerned about feeding Prim and my mother more than myself. I would cut them large peices of meat and only a small bit for myself.

"I think that would be fine. But I don't know what we should do about water..." the word barely make it to my ears.

"I'll take care of it," I say as i get up from the couch. I kiss the top of her head and walk into my room. I throw off my pants and shirt, I don't bother to put on any sleep clothes, they aren't needed. I throw myself on to my bed. I hate this. I hate being hungry, I hate my life lines being cut off, I hate that we live in the seam. But most of all, I hate the wanting. Every day, I walk by the houses of merchants and stare with envy. Their houses certainly aren't anything fancy, but they're a whole lot better than what I have. I cacoon myself in the blankets. I curl into the smallest ball that i possibly can, wishing for everything to just go away.

The next few days I don't go to school. But I make sure to walk Prim to Gale every morning and he walks her back. I spend my time from sun up to sun down in the woods hunting. I've gotten some good stuff so far. A turkey and a deer which I sold at the hob, and a multitude of squirels and small birds as well. While I was trying to catch a rabit, my string borke and the the arrow grazed my arm. I have had worse hunting injuries but, it takes a small toll on my all of the money I made from selling to the hob we just barely made enought for the water bill. Which is good considering I have cut on my arm now, and because I haven't showered in four days.

I step in the shower and let the hot water cascade down my body. I let out a long sigh of satisfaction. This is my reward. Its all I need. I stand there for a long time. No one is up so no one needs it. Right now its all mine. I like to sit and let the water hit my back while I think to myself. Peeta slips into my mind for a moment. Then a wave of guilt hits me. I didn't go to school all week! God the dance. I bet hes pissed at me. Way to go Katniss. Make a new friend lose it in the same week. Fantastic. But, tomorrow is Saturday and we're supposed to meet. If I explaine it to him hopefully he will understand.

Once the bakery is insight I slow my walking. _What if his mom is still there? What if he doesn't want to talk to me? Shit._ There is no going back now, I'm at the door to the side of the bakery. That is the door to their actual house. I feel a lump in my throght and I slowly lift my hand to knock. I knock a few times before the door opens. His brother Julian opens it.

"Hello-" he stops midsentence once he seens me. His nose has a faded bruise and what looks like a cute at least a few days old. He had a smile on his face but now this expression show complete distain. I stand there, awkwardly, while he glares at me. "What do you want?" he hisses. He sounded just like his mother.

"I came to see Peeta," I say calmly but softly.

"Are you going to fuck him? Like you fuck that Gale boy?" he spits. I can think of nothing to say. I just stand there, mouth ajar, while I nervously fidget with the end of my braid. Gale and I... fucking? Where would he get that asumption? Sure we're together a lot but I don't think we give off that kind of relationship. And fuck Peeta?

"N-no I-I... We're partners... in gym and we need to dance together..." I'm falling all over my words. I can feel my whole face ignite. My heart is racing, I can almost hear it.

"Right, just-" he gets cut off by a hand shoving his face and himself back.

"Hey sweetheart. Here to see Peeta? Hes working right now but you can go and wait for with him in the kitcchen," his father says. His father has always been a kind man. If i was ever short money he would take what ever the amount I had was. He looks like a much older version of Peeta. Underneather his eyes were heavy bags ans wrinkles. His arms and hands had old burn scars from the ovens.

"Thank you," I mumble while looking down at my feet. I step into the house. It wasn't big. But it wasn't terribly small either. There were pictures of their family all about the house. In the kitchen I find Peeta hovering over some plaine white cakes. He looks up when he hears the sound of my boots on the tile. He smiles widely at me.

"Hey. I didn't know you were coming over so early," he stands straight up. His face looks worse than Julian's. It was still a dark blueish color. A small cut beneath his eye caught my attention. I felt a pain in my heart. I walk closer to him.

"What happened?" I ask in a low voice. I lay my hand on top of his. Not so much a comfort for him but more like one for me.

"Don't worry about it," he says, still smiling. But I do worry about it. I know his mom hits him. I've seen him come to school with all likes of bruises. I've known since _that day._

"Was it your mom?" I ask. I look down at our hands and storke his large hands with my small ones. For a second his muscles stiffen, but then he relaxes and lets out a sigh.

"Yeah."

"Why?" I ask, making full eye contact. I stare into his deep sea blue eyes intensely.

**Peeta POV**

How can this girl read me so easily? She looking right at me. My pace quickens; my body feels hot.

"Don't worry about it alright," I smile at her again. I reach my hand up to brush a stray hair aways from her face. Her eyes close instantly and she intakes a small breath, but she doesn't move away from me. When I remove my hand her eyes flutter open.

"Okay," she breaths. "So you did theses?" she asks, getsuring towards the cakes.

"Yeah. My brothers thought it was 'girls work' so I stuck with it. Turns out i have aknack for it though so it works out fine."

"Can you show me?"

"I would love to. What do you want to make?" I take my hand from under hers to grab a small unfrosted cake.

"Primroses," she smiles at the small cake. I feel a pang in my heart. The most beautiful girl _ever_ is in the kitchen of my bakery asking me to show her how to frost primroses.

"Isn't that your sisters name?" she looks up and me in shcok for a moment then shyly smiles.

"It is. Are you going to show me or aren't you?" she lightly smacks the counter. I laugh. I turn from her to get another bag of frosting. I hold two infront of her, one wwith white frosting and one with light pink. She chose the pink.

"Now what?"

"Put the tip on the cake a squeeze then pull up." I tell her. She squeezes and a lot more than should have.

"Fuck" she says. Its cute when she swears. It sounds foregne yet alluring. "Sorry."

"Its ok. Most people do that. Want me to show you?" She nods. First I gently scrape off the pink frosting. Then I take the bag from her and form sone small flower petal. She stares at it then back at me.

"Alright, looks easy enough." she takes the bag back from me and squeezes again, this time there was the proper amount but the shape was far from a petal. "Fuck," she says again.

"Here I'll show you," I say. I move behind her and place my arms around her, my hands over hers. A pleasant warmth washes over me. I can smell her. She smells fresh, like the woods. Her body stifens beneath me. I hold her hands beneath mine and squeez the bag once more, then pull it making another petal. I release my hands from hers and step back. my body instantly feels colder with out her near it.

"I could never do this full time," she jokes.

"It just takes some practice," I smile. "We can work on the dance after I finish these cakes kay?"

"Okay," she finds a stool and sits on it while she observes my work. Her legs are crossed with her hands in her lap and her head tilted to the side. I wish I could paint her right now.


	5. Around and About

**Peeta POV**

"You know we're never going to get this dance doen if you take so long," Katniss snickered at me. She was still steated next to me.

"You want to do it then Miss Everdeen?" I stop my work to ask.

"Oh no Mister Mellark, you do a much better job than I," she alughed again.

"Just let me finish this cake and we can work on the dance. What time is it?"

"Eleven," she says.

"Its not even that late and you're getting upset about waiting," I laugh and continue my work. "Are you in a rush to get out of here or something?" I mumble. I glance up, she looks as is shes searching for words.

"No. Its just... I don't want to bother your father, or your brother..." her words fade away and become barely audible.

"My dad doesn't mind when I have company. Why do you care if you bother Julian?"

"Well-" she shighs "never mind." I finish the last rosette and step back to admire my work momentarily.

"You can tell me you know," I say, still looking at the cake.

"I've known you for barely a week, how can I know that I can?" she asks. Shes known me for a week, but I've known her for evelen years...

"I don't expect you to. I'm here, for you. Thats all I'm saying." I mean every word of it. I want to know her fears, her hopes and dreams. Her favorite color, favorite food, I want to know it all. And I want her to know all about me too. She sighs and begins to speak but then stops. Shes still looking for the right words to say. I walk over to her and place my hand on her cheek. She looks at me then casts her eyes down.

"Your brother asked me if I was going to fuck you like I apparently fuck Gale..." she say at last. My body tightens as it fills with anger. Then suddenly I want to know if she actually has fucked Gale Hawthorn...

"What did you say back?" I ask lowly. This is obviously something neither of us would have expected to happen. She closes her eyes and leans in to my hand. At the same time I use my thumb to rub her cheek, giving her as much comfort as she will accept.

"I didn't... I couldn't... I've never even talked to him before. Who would say something like that?" Her voice cracks as she her eyebrows crease. With out knowing what I can say, I pull her in to hug her. For a second her boyd is stiff. Her arms mechanically wrap around my waist, then settle comfortably. I lean down to rest me cheek atop her head. We stay like this, embracing warmly, for a while.

"Hey little brother," both of us are startled by the sudden voice intuding on us. I look up hastily to see Luke with a huge shit eating grin on his face "and Katniss," he says. She drops her arms and pulls away from me.

"Hi Luke," I say, rubbing the back of my head.

"Katniss can you wait here while I talk to Peeta for a moment?" she nods. I follow him as he walks towards the door.

"What were ya'll doin getting all cozy other there?" he asks playfull. I smile.

"Nothing. She was upset," I tell him honestly.

"About?"

"I guess Julian said some shit to her and I kinda upset her."

"Well what did he say?" I rubbed the side of my head.

"He asked her if she was going to fuck me like she fucks Gale Hawthorn."

"What the fuck? When?"

"When she go herre i guess," he looks pissed.

"Thats fucked up. Mom wouldn't even pull that shit," he says more angrily than before. He really is a great brother. "Take Katniss and go," he says finally.

"Why?"

"I don't think that its good to pull her in to Mellark family business just yet kay?"

"Okay well where am I supposed to take her?" there arent many places you actually can go.

"I don't know. For a walk or something."

"Alright. I'll be back later." he pats me on the back as I walk back in to the kitchen to Katniss.

"What was that about?" she asks. Shes fiddling with the end of her hair.

"He offered to take my shift," I say pulling off ym apron. Thats a lie. I wave my hand for her to follow me out the back door and she does.

"Where are we going?" she asks after we walk nowhere for a bit. Truth is, I don't know.

"Just anywhere. Do you want to get some lunch?" her face looses all expression once more. I think this falls under the sub-category of do not talk about, which is under the category of money.

"I don't have any money Peeta," she says.

"I'll pay."

"No you-"

"I want to," i say sutting her off. And I truely do. "Do you know any place good to eat?" Shit. Peeta whats wrong with you? I highly doubt that she goes out often.

"I do," she says. "But its in the Hob in the seam." she looks like she doesn't really want me to go there.

"Great. Lets go. Show me the way," I largely gesture for her to walk. She chuckles and procedes.

**Katniss POV**

Peeta is walking with me. To the Hob. In the seam. I'm not sure about this. I don't want him to think less of me after seeing where me life is. 99% of the kids from town have never been in the seam because they think its scary, or and dirty and a mash of other false things. I just dont want Peeta to look down on me.

"Do you like stew?" I say once were about a block from the seam.

"Depends," he says. For just a second i take time to look him over. Completely. His skin is fare until you reach his arms and hands. They hold old burn marks and other varying types of scars. His muscles aren't discustingly defined either. His hair catches the sunlight ans refreacts it like strands of gold. Not before long I realize I'm should staring. My face warms up a bit.

"On what?" he turned to me and once again gavean amazing smile.

"What ever kind you like," he says. Suddenly, this walk feels a lot longer than before.

Just before we reach the Hob my anxiety take hols.

"You sure you want to go in? You can go back home if you want to," i say looking at him.

"I told you I did." I take him by the wrist to make sure he doesn't get lost. We weave through the people and stalls until we reach Greasy Sae's stand.

"Hello dear, got a new friend?" she asks ladeling two bowls with soup.

"This is Peeta. His family owns the bakery in town," he stretches out a hand for her to shake when she turns back around. I take both bowls and they shake hands.

"Its nice to mee you," he says kindly to her. She nods and returns to the stew.

"Common," I say handing him his bowl. Once we sit he digs in almost immediately. He stops mid-chew.

"Oh my god..."

"What?"

"This is the best stew I have ever tasted," he begins to greedily shove it into his mouth. I let out a small chuckle.

"Don't eat so fat you'll get sick. We can always get more if you want more," I say then i begin to eat mine. Once he has heard what I said he slowed dowm.

"Sorry, I was really hungry," he looked up at me shyly. "I didn't eat today," he admits. To be honest I have never thought of a merchant kid being hungry.

"Why didn't you eat?" I ask.

"We're running low on breakfast foods."

"Then make a something else?" I offer.

"Can't then theres nothing for that meal," my heart throbs hard in my chest. I know what Its like to be hungry, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"Oh," I take a few more bites of my stew before realizing I'm actually not hungry. "Do you want this?"

"You sure? You need to eat too,"

"I'm not hungry. Its okay," I push the bowl towards him. He hesitates for a moment then takes it and pours the remains in his bowl. For a while I sit there, watching Peeta eat until he is done.

"Satisfied?" I ask.

"Very. Do I take these back to her?"

"No, leave them. Its fine."

Now I am faced with the delema that is, where we go.

"So," Peeta trails off.

"So?"

"What do we do now?" he looks around him. Were standing just outside of the hob. People are manuvering around us.

"Weren't we supposed to work on the dance?" I ask.

"That was what you cam over for. Unless you don't want to."

"Well I do but I don't know where we would. I would rather not do it in public," dancing a dance we hardly know yet in front of everyone would be a lieelt strange.

"We could go to your house" he says.

"No!" I let slip. I don't want him to see my house and compaire it to his own.

"Okay okay. Sorry just making a sugestion." I instantly feel guilty for snaping at him like I did. He didn't deserve it but still, I don't want him at my house. _The Meadow._ I could take him there. But I don't know. I feel like that is my place. The place where i can escape. Not even Gale has been there.

"Why can't we go back to your house? We could do it at your house," I offer but am met back with Peeta snickering at _do it_. I punch him on the shoulder. "Stop acting like you're prebubesant!" but it only makes him laugh harder. Until finally it dies down, he catches his breath and stands straight again.

"Sorry, hah," he wipes water from his eye. Once he gains his composure once more he says, "I don't think thats a good idea."

"Why not?" I ask simply. He ponders the idea of a moment. I wish I knew what was going through his head right now.

"Don't worry about it," he says. God dammit. Why won't he tell me anything. Does he not trust me of something.

I want to say all of that but instead, "Fine," flies out of my mouth. I reconsider my house for a moment. He wouldn't really think less of me by any, would he? "Um I suppose we could go to my house. If you wanted." His eyes caught a glimmer when i said this.

"Lets go then, Miss Everdeen," they way he says _Miss Everdeen_ makes me feel warm and weak inside. But I pay it no attention.

**Peeta POV**

I never thought this would happen. For years I have wanted to see where she lives, and now I actually get to. The whole way she looks uneasy. I know she doesn't want me there. I'm pretty sure the only one in the whole school that actually has been to her home is Gale Hawthorn.

"We're here," she says at last. Her house is shaded my several large trees. The house is small, of course. Its a pale gray color, around the edges and cornners the paint is chipping away. The wooden fance surrounds what litte yard there is, a little dirt path splits it. The grass looks heathy thought, probably from the shade the trees provide. She opens the gate and offers me to step in. And so I do. She follows behind me. The door creaks when she opens it. Its not as nearly disheveled as people in town depict it to be. Infact, its quite cute. The walls are painted with a nice beige color. Pictures hang on the walls.

Katniss walks into the kitchen, "Mom and Prim are out, do you want some water?"

"Yes. Thanks," I walk across to the opposite wall where most of the pictures are hung. The one that catches my attention is the one of her on _our_ first day of school. She wears a red plad dress, her hair is in two braids instead of one. They are tied with matching red ribbons at the bottom. I remember this day so clearly. The first day I ever saw Katniss Everdeen, a coal miner daughter. It was on that day i thought i had found my wife. But that is never to be. No matter how much i try to convince myself that i could happen, i know it won't. She will probably marry Gale, and I will marry some girl in town. Doomed to the same fate as my father, seeing whom I will love always, with someone else.

"What are you looking at Peeta?" she asks kindly, breaking me away from my thoughts.

"I was looking at you, on the first day of school," now and then.

"Oh, well here," she hands me a glass of ice water. I drink it down like its the last thing I will ever have to drink. She finishes hers and tries to move the couch, her feet slip out from the rug under her.

"You okay?" i ask helping her up. She nods and pushes up her sleves. Theres a cut, similar to mine but longer, on her forearm. "What happened here?" my fingers gently brush over it, its still a bit fresh.

"I was hunting. I cleaned it so its fine," with out thinking I bring her arm to my lips and gently kiss it. She quickly intakes a breath, thinking it hurt i look up. But all i see is her face a beautiful shade of pink as she turns her face away from me. "How about we just start dancing?" she steps closer and tentatively places her hands on the shoulders. In return i place mine on her gorgeous waist. The dance started with the couple side stepping then walking in a circle with onyl hands touching. Then we step to the side, I bow and she cutrsies. The sight of her faux cutrsy make me laugh. She sticks her tounge out when I do. Then we begin to dance once more. She walks to my side, moves a hand a across my chest and swirls around me. Back in front of me, one arm is up over our heads and bent, I meet hers with mine. Our other hand laced together at our middles. We side step to the right then back to the left. Then backwards. And here is the lift. I hesitate momentarily, I do not want to drop her. I once more put my hands on her waist and lift her, her hands find my shoulders for balance. Shes looking down into my eyes. Suddenly my whole body feels like mush under her, my arms buckle and she falls down on the my chest. I stumble back a step until my balance is regained. I hold her tightly in my arms, as not to drop her. Her face is just inches infront of mine. I can feel her breath on my cheeks. Her face flushes then mine as well.

"I- I can't remember the rest of the dance..." she says.

"Neither can I..."


	6. Opening Up

**Katniss POV**

My mind is spinning. My body is on fire. I don't know what to do. Peeta is holding me close. Closer than what should be comfortable. But it is comfortable. It feels safe and warm in his grip, but I feel a need to escape. I have to find a way out. But all I can do is stare into his eyes. They're a brighter blue than the sky at sunrise.

"You have pretty eyes," I blurt. He laughs and then releases his grip. At least he let go I suppose.

"You do too," his hands are still firmly placed on my waist, and mine still on his shoulders.

"Hey Catnip, I brought you some-" Gale, of course, come bursting through my door. Right now, at the worst possible time. I quickly step away from Peeta. He steps back as well, making a large gap between us. "-deer," he finishes. He smiles wide at me when he sees the blush across my face.

"Right, okay. I'll help you pack it," I try to get away from the room as fast as possible.

"Peeta," Gale says.

"Gale," he says in return. It more of a _man_ greeting than anything. After their man greeting Gale follow me out back to properly wrap and store the deer meat. Every time I look up at him, he's got a shit eating grin on his face. But he says nothing, he's taunting me with his eyes.

"Shut up Gale," I say after the last hunk of meat is packed.

"I didn't say anything," I can hear the smile hidden in his voice.

"You didn't have to. I can tell what you're thinking," I make a face at him then wiggle my arms; that should represent some sort of mystical capability.

"I don't know what you _think_ I'm thinking, but I was thinking you like Baker Boy in there," he points behind him with his thumb.

"You know I don't date," I cross my arms in return.

"I never said you were dating him. I just said you like him," He says teasingly. I immediately avert my eyes. I don't know what it's like to 'like' someone like that.

"I've only known him a week, Gale," I state.

"Doesn't mean that you can't like him."

"His mom hates me," I say.

He scoffs then says, "His mom hates everyone."

"His brother thinks I'm a slut." I tell him. His expression goes from playful to serious, almost angry.

"How do you know that?"

"Don't worry about it okay, I highly doubt that Peeta likes me anyways. He's just nice," I know that Peeta has dated several girls in school. All of them gawk at him, and I don't blame them.

"What are you talking about? The way he was looking at you in there is a dead giveaway! Come on; tell me what his brother said."

"He asked if I was going to fuck Peeta, like I fuck you," I sputter out after a few moments. He stands there; any person that didn't know him would think that he's calm and collected. Oh how they are wrong. Right now he's _pissed._ His jaw is tightened and he clutching the arms of his shirt. I can see it in his eyes. "You don't have to worry about it Gale," I say hoping to calm him.

"Then what the fuck do you want me to do!" he snaps.

"I don't know..." I reply honestly.

"Does baker boy in there know?"

"Yeah, but that's his brother. I don't think he would do anything," I say. I keep my eyes cast away from him, right now I'm pretty sure the flood gates are about to burst.

"So, what?" Gale grabs my face and turns it upwards to him. Our matching seam eyes meet and I allow a single tear to fall. He wipes it away and gently kisses my forehead. He pulls me closely into his large arms, "Catnip, you have to let people in. Not everyone is going to hurt you." I know he's right but I just _can't._ I can't risk what happened to my mother to happen to me.

**Peeta POV**

Standing here in her living room by myself once again, I return to admiring the pictures strewn about her house. There are a lot of her. She isn't smiling in the more recent pictures. At around a sixth grade photo you can start to notice small differences in her. Not only was she maturing, but she looks almost defeated. Her eyes seem to hold no life or happiness. It's only in the last two or so years, does it seem that her eyes sparkle a bit more.

"So, what?" I hear Gale saying from the back. I peek down the hall in the back to now see him holding her. I feel a sharp pain in my heart, and it doesn't subside. He's holding her like I want to hold her. He's comforting her in the way I want to. God, I wish I was Gale right now. She trusts him. And she doesn't trust me.

After a while, which is far too long for me, they pull apart. She smiles and says something then he sweeps stray hair away from her face. They start to walk in and I move away quickly so they don't see me. I casually lean against the end table.

"Bring me some stew if there's any left tomorrow," Gale says to her.

"Will do," she smiles as he leaves. "Bye,"

"Bye Catnip. See yah baker boy," he smirks, in no general direction. I don't want to know or think about what happened back there, so I don't ask.

"Catnip?" I ask instead. She laughs.

"Yeah. When we first met he asked my name and I mumbled and I guess it sounded like catnip, it kinda just stuck," she turns and smiles at me. "What do you want to do now?" she asks._ Kiss you. Touch you, rip all of your clothes off and make wild passionate love to you._ I don't think she would like it if I said that though.

"I dunno. What about you?" It's about four right now.

"I dont know. I'll walk you home if you want," she says to me. It's not a demand; it is in fact an offer.

"If I said I don't?" I ask.

"Then we can stay here," she smiles. I smile too.

"Can I see your room?" She thinks about it for a second then nods. She walks down the hall and I follow.

Her room is small. Not much resides in here. A bed, a desk and a bed side table. Several blankets and pillows are strewn across the bed. Books and papers are all over and sticking out of the desk. A reading lamp on the bed side table looks like it was recently used to read or something. It smells like her, fresh and wood like.

"Peeta?" she says. I guess I was spacing out or something.

"Hmm?"

"I asked why you wanted to see my room," she said.

"Just to take a look into your life I suppose."

"Oh okay," we stand there, awkwardly, for a few moments, until I decide to sit down. I sit on her bed and run my hands over a knitted blanket beneath me. She looks at me apprehensively then slowly walks over and sits down as well. While my legs are bent up a bit high, only the tips of her feet touch the floor. She's picking at her nails, just to occupy herself. I lie back on her bed and close my eyes. It's not until I do so that I realize, I'm extremely tired. I've been up since four a.m. so it's normal. I feel her lay back too. I smile to myself. I don't care what her and Gale were doing back there, if they were doing anything at all, I'm just glad she's here with me. _Me_.

Without thinking, "You," I say. I can feel her shift to look at me now. In order to stay calm, I keep my eyes closed.

"Huh?"

"You're always on my mind Miss Everdeen," I say. I might as well be honest now. She's taken back for a moment.

"Since when?" She asks tentatively. I take a moment to think this over. _Since forever_ is what I truly want to say but I don't know what will happen if I do. I don't want to just say '_Hey Katniss! I've been in love with you for eleven years! Wanna go out?__'_ Even though it's truly how I feel.

"A long time," I say instead of forever, with my eyes still closed. It doesn't sound as stalker-like. She sighs, and then she lies back down.

"Sometimes I think about you," she says. This catches me off guard. Me? She thinks of me? I open my eyes and roll on to my side to look at her, she's looking back.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Since when?" she closes her eyes and breaths slowly.

"Well, since you gave me the bread that day in the rain. But more often after you became my dance partner," she says.

"You still remember that?"

"I think about it all the time. I always try to think of ways I could pay you back, to return the favor," she opens her eyes to look at me again. Right now her eyes look just like stars in the night sky in contrast to her beautiful olive skin. In this kind of situation, my body feels tight. I have dated before but no girls were ever anything like Katniss.

"I think about you all the time," I say. "I have for a long time."

"Really?"

"Yes," I touch her cheek gently with my thumb.

**Katniss POV**

My heart is beating so loudly I can almost hear it. Right now, I'm doing what Gale told me to do.

___**"You can do it Catnip," Gale whispered in to my ear.**_

_** "And if he doesn't like me as well? What do I do then, hm?" I mumble into his chest. **_

_** "Then you move on," he pulls away and looks at me with a loving smile. He raises his hand and moves a piece of hair away from my face.**_

_** "Thank you Gale," I say smiling back.**_

Oh my god. What am I doing? I feel like I'm going to puke all over Peeta. I don't know how to say it, so now I have to rely on my actions. I stroke his face with my hand. I cup his cheek like he is doing to mine. I move closer to him slowly. I move in so close that I can feel his breath on my face. Peeta is looking at me, unmoving. He has yet to break eye contact. He smells like fresh bread. I smile to myself. I move closer and place my lips on his. They're warm, and soft. He kisses me back very gently. My first kiss_ ever_, with Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread. My lips linger on his. I pull back only the slightest bit, ending the kiss. You know those movies you see and the first kiss is like a million fireworks? It's exactly like that.

He's the first one to speak, "Miss Everdeen, do you like me?" it's more of a whisper than anything. The heat rises to my face. I swallow hard and nod. "I like you too," he says before kissing me again. Like the last one, it's sweet, and short. It leaves me wanting more, but I can't formulate the words to say that. He pulls me in close to him. He rests his head in the crook of my neck and we just lay there peacefully.


	7. Yes

**Peeta POV**

Is it normal for your heart to beath this fast for so long? I hope so. She fell asleep a long time ago, but I just can't pull away. I've wanted this for so long. Now I have it. Don't I? What about Gale? What happened in the back?

Katniss stirs in my arms. I begin to unwrap my arms until she shivers. Then I envelope her with my warmth again and she lets out a sigh. Before long I, too, am drifting off to sleep until the door is swiftly swung open.

"Katniss! I-" standing in the door way is a small blond girl who I can only assume is Prim. She stares for a moment then lets out a scream. Katniss jumps up, in a daze. "Katniss! There's a strange boy on your bed!" Then she runs out, slamming the door behind her. Katniss and I look at each other, then we both burst in to laughter.

"Oh my gosh, Peeta. I'm sorry!" she says after her fit of laughter. "Prims only used to seeing Gale with me." I unintentionally wrinkled my face at _Gale._ Good thing she didn't see that, I guess.

"Should we go tell her that I'm not a murderer?" I snicker. She gets off the bed and smooths down her wrinkled clothes. She begins to walk towards the door, then I grab on to her wrist. She looks back.

"What?" she asks.

"What do we tell her?" she ponders this for a moment.

"That I fell asleep with my friend?" she raises her eyebrows, looking to approval. _Friend._ Is that what I am?

"Is that what we are, Katniss? Friends?" I don't ask this harshly. But in a purely curious tone. She opens her mouth to say something but doesn't. She looks away and just stands there for a while. With a heavy sigh she turns back to me and sits next to me on the bed.

"Is that what you want to be, Peeta?" she asks quietly. _No. I want to be so much more._ That is the first thing that comes to mind. But I have to be cautious with my words. I don't want to lose her when I only just got her.

"What do you want to be?" I ask just as quietly as her. She still doesn't look at me.

"I want to be Katniss... and Peeta..." she says after what felt like hours. Katniss and Peeta. "Like a... a... a package." I can't help but let out a small laugh at her choice of words.

"Do you want to be my _girlfriend,_ Katniss?" I ask playfully. Her face turns a cute shade of pink and she kind of just stares into nothing. Then she nods.


	8. GirlfriendBoyfriend

_**Hey guys, I'm really sorry about not updating in so long. This chapter won't be very long at all. But I will continue to work on things. If you wish to contact me feel free to shoot me a message. I also have a tumblr if you want to follow me on there message me for it. **_

**Katniss POV**

Girlfriend. How do you be someones girlfriend? I can't back out now.

Peeta smiles widely at me. I smile back. One hand cups my face as the other moves to my back. I move to him first, my hands stay at my sides. Before our lips meet again he puls back a few inches.

"Should we go tell her now?" he asks. I can't help but laugh.

"Common." I say, pulling him out of the room with me.

Walking through my own house feels weird with Peeta here. And now I have to explaine to mom and Prim that hes not a murderer or a rapist.

"Prim, where are you?" I call through the house, its not a big house theres not a ton of places she could go. Prim peeked her little nose out from behind the kitchen wall. "Hey," I smile softly at her. She slowly advances away from the wall.

"Who's that?" she askes, pointing to Peeta.

"This is Peeta, my... boyfriend," I say. The word boyfriend feels like sand in my mouth. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.


	9. A Cold Lingering

**PEETA POV.**

Prim narrows her eyes at me, her blond braids swaying as she cocks her head.

"He's from town isn't he?" she asked Katniss. Katniss released my hand, leaving a lingering coldness on my skin. She walks over to Prim, kneeling in front of her she takes her hands.

"Peeta is the bakers son," she smiles. Prim's eyes flicker back to me then to Katniss once again. "He makes the cakes in the window you like so much." Prim simply nods at the both of us. The leaves abruptly. At this point I can't tell of she likes me of not. For all I know she hates me and id plotting my dimise as we speak. No one would find my dead body in the back yard of a seam girls house...

"That was... instersting?" I inquire, offering a weak smile. Katniss sighes deeply, returning to my side.

"She's only used to seeing me around Gale," she states.

"Then she's just going to have to get used to me," I wink cheekily at her, placing my hands lightly on her waist. Her cheeks adorn a new shade of pale pink. She leaned into me, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I would like that," she murmurs, playing with loose strings of my shirt. I wrap my arms around her, rocking us side to side, almost like a slow dance but not quite. I glance at the clock, its getting late and I really have to go. But shes just to warm and comforting. I never thought I would be saying that about Katniss Everdeen. But none the less, she is. I'm not sure but theres some kind of over whelming happiness flooding over me all at once.

"I need to get going," I mutter, kissing the side of her head. She sighes.

"Alright," she says, pulling back from me just a bit. "Be safe," she smiles.

"I will," I return a smile. She leans up slowly, it feel like time is going to stop. Her eyes flicker up to mine before they close, she presses her lips to mine gently. I kiss back but its still her that pulls away.

"Bye Peeta,"

"Bye Katniss," I let go of her, walking to her door I look at her once more. Then, I make the journy home.

**KATNISS POV**

_A few hours later. _

I can't sleep. Every thing that happened today is swimming im my head. I don't know what to do with myself anymore. I just, I want to be happy, but at the same time I'm not sure if I'm allowed to be happy with all the sadness around me. My door creaks open, a small sliver of light coming into the room beofre a small body crawls through.

"Katniss," Prim whispers harshly. I move over, making room for her on my bed. She climbs into bed with me instantly, snuggling close to me.

"Hey little duck,"

"Hi," he mumbles. "Peeta seems nice," she says after moments of silence.

"He is,"

"He better be good to you."

"He will be."

"Okay."

"Okay."

I hold her close to me, relishing in the warmth her body immits. After what seems like forever, her breathing slows. Shes asleep. And so should I.

**PEETA POV.**

My mom was asleep by the time I got home. The only one awake was Luke.

"Hey little brother," he smiles, reading a book.

"Hey," I can tell what the look on his face means, it means 'Peeta, why are you grinning like a moron?'

"Whats up?" he opts instead.

"I'm someones boyfriend. Not just someone, Katniss. Katniss Everdeen," he say dreamily. He whistles.

"Don't let mom find out," he says.

"I know," I sigh. Everything would be so completely perfect if it weren't for the ever present lingering of my mothers disapproval.


	10. Very Important Note, don't ignore

**This is a very very important authors note. DO NOT IGNORE IT. 8/17**

I will be wrapping this up ver shortly. I have not decided if I want to write a sequel or not. But the next chapter is going to be incredibly long and will conclude everything. I will continue to write, but they may not all be Hunger Games themed. To be honest, there is a high possibility that most of what I write will consist of One Direction. And if you follow me as an author and decided to unfollow then that is okay. But just a heads up, the next chapter will be extremely long but will most likely not be up for a while because I just my junior year and I have a lot of advanced classes this year.

Oh and p.s.

To th people telling me about spelling and grammar mistakes, I readlly don't care about them and I will most likely not be getting a beta. But thank you for imforming me anyways. I love you very much and promise you a lovely end. Have a great day and don't for get to leave a comment/ review.


	11. In regards to the final chapter

Look, I have been taking advanced collage classes. Pretty much all I do is homework and sleep. I have not gotten very far in the last chapter of the fic because I have fallen out of the fandom since I started school and have no motivation to finish it. I will try to produce something befure Christmas but I make no promises. But, if any of you want me to just tell you how it ends I will


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